Electric comforter



NOV. 20, 1 KAPLAN ELECTRIC COMFORTER Filed March 8, 1961 f2s T iqql INVEN TOR. JU L|US KAPLAN ATTORNEY.

United States 3,954,332 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,332 ELECTRIC COMFORTER Julius Kaplan, 51 Colony Acres Road, Longmeadow, Mass. Filed Mar. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 94,290 1 Claim. (Cl. 29-l55.5)

The present invention relates generally to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in an electric comforter and is directed more particularly to the provision of a comforter, having general utility in the arts, wherein a heating layer of synthetic fiber or the like, having appropriate electrical conductive means provided therein, is disposed between upper and lower integral layers of fabric with all layers or plies being joined by stitching to form an electrically heated comforter.

It will be helpful to an understanding of my invention first to briefly consider some of the essential points and more important features and aspects thereof, so that same may be kept in mind during subsequent reading of the detailed description of the practical embodiment of my improvements and illustration thereof in the hereunto annexed drawing.

Accordingly, it is first to be noted that it is a principal object of the invention to provide an electrically heated three ply comforter having an inner ply of synthetic fibers, as for example a polyester condensation polymer formed from ethylene glycol and either terephthalic acid or methyl terephthalate, in the nature of Dacronj a trademark for a product of E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., which is safe, washable, non-flammable, light in Weight and is capable of providing a high degree of warmth and comfort to the user.

Another of the chief objects is to provide a three ply construction such that heat from the wiring is confined within the comforter so that the user may benefit therefrom without the danger of contact with hot wires.

It is a salient feature hereof to provide a comforter having a three ply construction so stitched as to provide channels or pockets through which electrical conductive means may be quickly and easily passed thus materially reducing the time required to wire the comforter wherefore manufacturing costs are substantially reduced.

According to another novel feature of the invention the three ply construction of the comforter insures the even generation of heat therethrough and increases the heat insulating properties of the comforter without occasioning a corresponding increase in manufacturing costs.

Still another feature worthy of particular note is the fact that the three ply comforter hereof is not subject to objectionable puckering or wrinkling and maintains a uniform thermal conductivity throughout its entire area.

According to a novel form of the invention the comforter hereof may be made of a smaller size whereby it may be utilized to advantage as a heated foot warmer or the like.

Without intending to place undue limitations upon the scope of the invention beyond what may be required by the state of the prior art, the particular embodiment may be briefly described as embracing the concept of forming an electrically heated comforter in three plies, comprising an upper ply of fabric in the nature of satin. or the like, an intermediate ply of synthetic fibers in the nature of Daeron or the like, and a lower ply of fabric in the nature of flannel or the like, stitching all plies together along the adjacent longitudinal side edges thereof, additionally joining all plies by means of equally spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending rows of stitching to provide channels or pockets through which electrical conductive means may be passedfinserting an end of a heating element in the form of wire into the intermediate ply of synthetic fabric at an open unstitched edge of the three ply comforter, and passing the wire back and forth through said intermediate ply within each of the adjacent, longitudinally extending compartments or pockets, until the desired quantity of wire has been threaded into the comforter, at which time the ends of the wire are drawn from the comforter and the opposite open unstitched edges are stitched together to form a completed comforter.

In practice, the wire will be inserted at one open unstitched edge, passed longitudinally through the intermediate ply adjacent the first of the rows of parallel stitching to cause the end of the wire to emerge from the intermediate layer at the opposite open edge of the three ply comforter, at which time the end of the Wire will be reinserted into the intermediate ply and passed longitudinally through said ply at a point which is disposed between the first and second rows of parallel stitching, to cause the end of the wire to emerge from the first mentioned open edge of the comforter.

This procedure of inserting the wire at an open unstitched edge and reinserting the wire at an opposite, open, unstitched edge is repeated until the wire has been passed between each of the rows of parallel stitching.

The said rows of spaced, parallel stitching will be of a lesser length than the length of the longitudinal side edges of the comforter. Thus the wire, when inserted or reinserted at either open end, may be pulled taut against the upper or lower ends of the rows of stitching, wherefore the wire is disposed well inwardly from the upper and lower horizontal edges of the comforter.

Experience has shown that by utilizing two persons to wire the comforter, the wiring function may be performed with ease and rapidity.

By way of example, assume that operator X is stationed at one open, unstitched edge of the comforter and that operator Y is stationed at the opposite, open, unstitched edge. X will insert the wire into the intermediate ply of synthetic fabric and will pass the wire between the first and second rows of parallel stitching to Y, who will reinsert the wire into the intermediate ply between the second and third rows of parallel stitching and pass the wire back to X. X will then pull the wire until it contacts the upper edge of the second of the parallel rows of Stitching, thus imparting a U-shape to the Wire disposed within the intermediate ply.

The procedure outlined above will be followed until the desired expanse of the comforter is wired, at which time the end of the wire is drawn from the comforter. Additional stitching or quilting may now be applied to insure against the accidental movement of the wire within the comforter, and the open ends may be stitched to form the completed comforter.

By pulling the wire taut against the upper and lower ends of the adjacent parallel rows of stitching, the wire is firmly set within the intermediate ply of synthetic fabric, and the possibility of any movement of the wire within the fabric is virtually eliminated, thus precluding any objectionable contact lbetween portions of the wire within the comforter.

The objects and other incidental ends and advantages as set forth above will in part be obvious and apparent and will in part be more fully pointed out as the nature of the invention is better understood in the progress of the disclosure below. To the end of attaining these objects and advantages and others hereinafter reasonably appearing, it will be explained that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, configuration, location and function of parts, as herein described in detail.

tion' andv their embodiment for` practical use, in order that others skilledin the art to which the invention pertains may be enabled t o adapt' and modify them in numerous Variations and modifications, each as may be best adapted tothe conditions of any particular use.

The,invention reverted to is not restricted or confined to said embodiment and same is not intended to be eX- haustive of, nor limiting of,I the spirit or scope hereof. That is, the precise construction of the figures of the drawing need not be slavishly followed as, of course, the electric comforter may have to be adapted or alternatively constructed or modified in accordance with anyspecili'c use contemplated therefor. Such adaptationsA and/or alternative constructions nd/ or modifications` are intended to be comprehended within the' meaning and purview and ra'nge of equivalence of the below subjined claims, there being no intent to hayethis invention limited to or circumscribed by any specific details". Y

"Ihe objects of the invention are susceptible of attainment by use of constructions different in certain Irespects from that disclosed, suchI as minor changes and Variations in dimensions, shape, form, proportion, integration, cooperation of materialand/or type Yof subassem'blyand accessory, all without departing from the underlying principles, salient features, scope and spirit hereof.

VWhile all of these objects are attainable in the preferred and disclosed embodiment, it is Vto bewunder- V stood that, by utilizing the invention only incertain of aspects', certain of the objects may be Vattained indi- V'ldually or in sub-groups' without necessarily -att'ainin'g all ofthe objects. That is, while the advantages of the inv vention as here outlined are best realizedv when all of its features andinstrumentalities are combined, useful enibodiments may be produced involving'lessv than' the whole. The characteristic features which I consider to be novel with my invention, as to itsconstruction' and organization and as to' its .methods of manufacture and operation, ,will be betterunderstood from la consideration ofthe followingdetailed description Yforming a part of this specification, when read in conjunction with, the illustrations in thev accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are employed to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which: i FIG. 1 isa plan `viewof the comforter of theinvention before stitching and before the.insertion of wire therein, with a portion having been broken away for purposes of clarity: t

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the comforter shownin FIG. l illustrating the manner in' which certain' preliminary stitching is applied; t l Y FIG. 3 is a planview of the comforter shown in FIG. l after the insertion of'a wire therein;

FIG.' 4 is a plan view of the comforter of FIG. 1 cornpleted irl accordance withl the present invention; and FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional yievvtaken longitudinally through the comforter illustrating the disposition of the, wire relative tothe layers or plies thereof.

`In the following description and in the appended claim, various components and details thereof will be identified byspecic namesfor purposes of convenience. Although specific terms and expressions kare employed for pprposes of identifying various components, they are used in a genericV and descriptive sense only. The phraseology or terminclosy herein employed isfr. the purpgsecf .limitation and they are 4intfr1$1d t0 baas, generic ,iti .their application as the art will permit. They are not intended to fr havingl the desirable qualities of warmth exclude any reasonable equivalents of the features shown andV described or portions thereof.

With contlnued referencenow to the dnawing, which illustrates a typical and preferred embodiment of the invention for the purpose of disclosure and forms a part of this specification', I have shown in FIG. l the basic components for a comforter comprising layers of plies of vertically aligned material including an upper or outer ply 2 which may be a fabric such as satin'or the like, an intermediate ply 4' of insulating material or padding preferably in the form of loosely woven synthetic fibrous material' in the Anature of a polyester `cond'er'ls'ation polynier such as Daeron or the like, and ailower ply 6 which may be a fabric su`cll' `as ann'el or a simila'r'm'aterial resiliency and the like.

if desired, the upper ply 2 may have appropritedecorative patterns imprinted thereon.

As aninitial step in the formation of the' comforter, the' longitudinal edges' of the adjacent superpos'edV plies are stitched together as indicatedby 8y in FIG. 2, or may be secnred ytogetller in somey `other suitableA manner as by a binding element or the like.'

The upper vand lower plies', withy the' filling of synthetic fibers therebetween, may nowbe quilted to further secure the Yc,olnpo'nents'together. TheY quilting will preferably he arranged te' forma predetermined pattern or design, is Y described below.

nq-.rally spaced, parallel, longitudinal extending rows 0f Y stitching lll 'are rprovided and pas'sthrough each of the plies'Z; '4, and 6. It'will be observed that the rows of stitching i0' are of alesser length than the length of the l'n'glludinal s ia'sedges ofthe' pues i2, 4; and 6 whereby borders or unstit'ched portions il and 12' :are provided ladjacent they horlzontl' upper and lower edges respectively of the comforter.V Y

The parallel rows ofstitching' 10 form compartments or pockets 13, into which compartments or pockets heating means may be inserted, as will s'ubsequ'ently be apparent.v

AS afiresiaiithe stitching 8, along with theV prllel rows of stitching 1li), hold plies of material together and lockthe 4i'nte'rl'nediate ply ofsynthetic fibers in place.

Heating means, as vwire W, may be disposed between the' ripper and lower plis anarwflfhl the intermediate ply synthetic fabric by passing it back "andfor'th through thelooseIy woven fibers of said intermediate ply in manner to b'e described.

The wlre W is insertedintohthe intermediate a lower horizontal Aedge of the comforter and is passed back and forth through the iuterrne'diatev lilly/,the fibers of which may pushed aside by the end of t he wire, with in the longitudinally extending compartments oi' p'ocke 13 to provide stretches or runs of wire 14, each of which is parallel Yto the; rows of stitching 1). lfldjacent stretches or runs assume a l J'-shape` at 'the upper and/ or lowereirtremities of thepa'r'allel rows of stitching as appropriate as showninFIGSuS .113 Practice mend Qflfli .Wife W Will berisfsdbsk al@ foflh naar the espanoles here@ the" parallel rows of stitching'lllfand the wire will be pulled taut S9 as ffl Comas@ theilppefpr. lower extremity@ approlsriafesf ene, @if die rows Qf Said, adin ,parallel IQWS le This passasse? ther/@W rthiafhgssmrattfneats 1,3` is, @asili .aecamrlishsfd Since, the erpolsiterherizolal edswthe @ofertar remain atletiche@ Qr .uvsalad during.. the Wiring lipfzrefl, andthe bespsfee istermediate ply offer little or no resistance to the passage of thewire therefhrolshtl. .i n The wire W, constituting thenhelating element o f the comforter will thus benrranged inV a pattern such as will cslrerondorprn@ Withiuthe areaoflhs @quilted ,Dertien @f teenies endwll. bes ,arrasedthat `ahy Subsequent stitjchnsthrcush the. plies .will auf injure the Wiring As shown in FlG. 4 after the entire expanse of the comforter has been wired, the ends 16 and 18 of the wire W may be brought together and drawn out of the comforter at any desired point along an open horizontal edge thereof and will be connected to a suitable current control mechanism, not shown.

With the heating element disposed within the intermediate layer as described quilting or stitching 20 may be provided in the marginal portions 12 and 12 to preclude the accidental movement of the runs 14 of the wire.

Any suitable pattern of stitching may be utilized for this purpose, same not being limited to the design shown in the drawing.

As a final step in the completion of the electric comforter the horizontal upper and lower edges of each of the adjacent plies 2, 4 and 6 are stitched together as indicated at 22 in FIG. 4 or they may be secured together in some other suitable manner as by a binding element or the like.

It will be understood that the pattern of parallel rows of longitudinally extending stitching may be varied depending upon the particular desires or requirements of the user.

The comforter may be formed with equal facility with the parallel rows of stitching extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the comforter without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Too, by making the comforter hereof in a smaller size, it may be readily used to advantage as a foot warmer or the like.

Based on the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a truly novel electric comforter and method for forming the same.

It is believed that the gist of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further analysis thereof at this point is considered unnecessary, as I have, in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, described the construction and principle of operation of my invention together with the form which I believe to represent the best embodiment thereof, to the end that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of its generic and/or specific aspects. The substitution of equivalents and other changes, modifications and alterations vas circumstances may 4suggest or render, expedient,

are reasonably contemplated, the invention being susceptible of such without departing from its real spirit or underlying principles.

The protection which is sought for this invention is covered by the language of the above speciiication and the spirit represented thereoby.

The claim is desired to include within the scope thereof all of the suitable variations, modifications and equivalents by which substantially the results of the invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent devices or means. Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as determined by a proper interpretation of the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claim, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent herein as broadly as possible.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

The method of forming an electric comforter comprising, joining superposed l-ayers of fabric and a layer of loosely woven synthetic iibers in the nature of a polyester condensation polymer therebetween adjacent their longitudinal edges, stitching all layers together by means of spaced parallel longitudinally extending rows of stitching to pnovide longitudinally extending channels, inserting a heating element in the form of Wire into said intermediate layer between said fibers at an unjoined edge of said comforter, passing the wire back and forth through said intermediate layer within each of the adjacent longitudinally extending channels, and joining each of the unjoined adjacent edges of said layers of fabric and synthetic fibers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,323,478 Lobl July 6, 1943 2,327,756 Adamson Aug. 24, 1943 2,379,580 Hendley July 3, 1945 2,458,801 Schwartz Jan. -11, 1949 2,490,417 Cochran Dec. 6, 1949 2,706,768 Kaplan Apr. 19, 1955 2,708,234 Kerr May l0, 1955 2,708,235 Kaplan May lO, 1955 2,862,097 Negromanti May 31, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 152,427 Australia July 17, 1953 642,625 Great Britain Sept. 6, 1950 

